The present invention relates generally to the field of network data distribution. More specifically, the present invention relates to sharing data in the network.
With image representations evolving rapidly into a viable consumer electronic business, digital photography and objects are emerging to fill the needs of image representation. Images are commonly captured by digital cameras or digital scanners. A typical digital camera captures a picture and stores the captured pictorial information in a digital data format. Also, a conventional digital scanner scans pictures, such as, a color photographic film (e.g., 35 mm), and converts the scanned pictorial information into object data.
When an image is captured and the captured image data is generated, it is often difficult to display the captured image. One conventional approach is to use a personal computer (xe2x80x9cPCxe2x80x9d) to display the images. In this approach, the image data is first transferred to the PC from an image capturing device, such as, a digital camera, and then the PC displays the image according to the image data received. A problem with this approach is that a regular PC may not be able to process the image data without additional software or hardware to reconfigure the PC.
Another commonly employed approach is to use an image-processing machine, such as, a workstation, a mini-computer, or a mainframe. Like the PC, the image data must first be transferred to the image-processing machine, and the image-processing machine, subsequently, displays the image after processing the image data. This approach posts similar problems as a PC that the image-processing machine has to be reconfigured before it is able to process the image data. Also, the image-processing machine is not typically mobile.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a simple frame-like device that is capable of obtaining digital images and other digital objects, capable of displaying those digital images and objects, and capable of sharing those digital images and objects. As will be seen, one embodiment of the present invention provides a portable digital media frame (DMF) that allows objects to be shared across several networks.
A method for sending data between multiple networks is disclosed. In one embodiment, a request for a service available in a second network is initiated by a member of a first network. The request is sent to the second network. The second network is coupled with the first network. The request comprises an identification and a password of the member defined in the second network, a request type and a network identification associated with the first network. The second network identifies the member in the second network using the identification and the password. The request is processed in the second network.
Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description which follows.